When it comes to decorating the outside of your home, choosing the perfect colour for your front door is more important than you may think. As the entryway into your home, the front door can represent your personality and interior style, so picking out the right colour can make all the difference to making a good first impression.
As one of the first things visitors see, your front door colour choice holds a lot of power, whether it’s a showcase of the latest interior paint colour trends of 2024 or a reflection of your creative flare.
For Charlotte Condon, a designer at London Door Company, the front door is one of the most important elements of any house, considered a feature that can sell your house even. "The front door is the first impression of a property, it sets the tone for the style and attention to detail within the property," she explains. It's therefore best to try to find a trending colour that speaks to you and matches your interior style.
What is the most popular colour for a front door in 2024?
Whilst grey has dominated the front door colour trends for quite some time there's a vibrant shift on the horizon with more colourful tones taking over. But don't fret, decorating with grey will always be chic. However, if you're more of a dopamine decor enthusiast then interior expert at ArtWindow&Doors Allan Reid has great news for you. Rich teal, warm terracotta and coral are the up-and-coming front door colour trends we'll see everywhere this year.
"Teal is a bold and attention-grabbing colour. It can be a focal point, especially when set against a neutral or lighter exterior," explains Allen. Not only does rich teal make a statement, but it also adds heaps of character to your home and can be paired seamlessly with neutral tones like beige and our beloved chic grey.
If you are not ready to say goodbye to neutrals, a warm terracotta is the perfect colourful compromise. Allen says: "Terracotta tones bring a sense of warmth and cosiness, making your entryway feel inviting and friendly." Not only does this earthy tone create rustic appeal it also works well with other warm neutrals as well as greenery and wooden elements. And if warm neutral terracotta isn't doing it for you Pantone's 2024 colour of the year 'Peach Fuzz' might be more your style.
Coral certainly isn't a colour for the faint-hearted but if you're looking to make your home's entrance pop then it's an extremely effective choice. "A coral door can significantly enhance your home's curb appeal, making it stand out in the neighbourhood," explains Allen. With such a bold statement colour, Allen suggests pairing the door with neutral elements and more muted tones.
As well as being an experienced home and glass expert, Allan is also the founder of Art, Windows and Doors which is a supplier of high-quality fitted windows and doors.
How to choose the best colour for a front door: 7 things to consider
It’s the easiest way to make a good first impression but choosing the best colour for a front door can be overwhelming. If you get it right, you not only make your house look great but also improve its selling prospects. Get it wrong though and it’s a door you won’t want to go through
With all this pressure on the exterior, it can be hard to know where to start when choosing. Aaron Markwell, COAT Paints colour lead and interiors expert, says the right colour should connect the outside of your house to the inside.
“The front door has to connect your interior scheme and the exterior of your home,” Aaron says. “I tend to go for darker versions of neutrals used in the interior or bolder tones that compliment.” He also suggests ensuring you choose the right exterior paint and fully prep your door to ensure the best finish.
Lighter colours may need repainting more often and, if you live in a very subdued neighbourhood, a bright orange door may stick out for all the wrong reasons. The design of your door may also affect the colour you choose.
He says: “Prep-wise, make sure that any flaky or old paint is sanded back so that it's smooth. Apply a primer if your door is bare wood and hasn't been painted before, and then apply two coats of paint around 4 hours apart. Use a brush for details and a gloss roller for the flat planes.”
With all the basics covered, here's what else you need to consider when choosing that stand-out door colour.
1. Classic shades suit every style of house
Nothing says luxury like a glossy black or white door. Not only do these staple shades suit every house style, but they won't date. If you prefer something with a bit more colour, try darker neutrals such as grey or navy blue.
Not only are these front door shades chic, but they can also increase the value of your home. Real estate website Zillow found that a black or blue door can add thousands to your home.
Other classic colours include dark green and deep red. Yes, they are bright, but they’re perfect for period houses — both shades were popular in the Victorian era. Interior designer Jenny Branson believes you can never go wrong with a red door.
“I think there’s something really smart about a glossy pillar box red on a brick period property, especially combined with traditional Victorian floor tiles,” she says.
2. Think about the overall look of your house
When looking for the best colour to paint a front door, take into consideration the whole front of your house, from the brick colour to the windows, and even the path that leads to your door.
Aaron advises picking tones from your brickwork that complement the rest of your house. “With bolds, pick colours that have the same undertones as your interior scheme and the brickwork or masonry outside,” he suggests. “This will create a welcoming pop of colour that doesn't feel out of place.”
If you have stained glass windows or a coloured glass inset in the door, choose a contrasting or matching shade. The same goes for a patterned tile entryway. You can even take it one step further by planting your favourite cottage garden plants in coordinating shades to offset the pop of colour.
3. Consider the type of door you have
You may want to take inspiration for the colour of your front door from its style. Edwardian doors with stained glass, for example, were often painted in darker colours such as green or black, while in the ‘20s and ‘30s, they started to choose lighter, fun shades such as yellow.
"If you have a period home, nothing quite brings back the authenticity of the era than a period front door to complement it," says Charlotte, who says their clients with period doors are choosing dark green and blue shades.
Modern doors, which are often larger and more minimal, can take fashion-led colours, such as the Dulux colour of the year 2024 'Sweet Embrace'. As the door furniture is usually discreet, the colour can lead the way.
4. Look at the neighborhood
While the best colour for a front door is one you love, it’s always good to take in the surrounding area.
“It’s your home and you can do what you want (unless it’s a listed property), but bear in mind painting the exterior a crazy colour could annoy your neighbours," says interior designer Rebecca Kerry
"Unless you live on a street renowned for its brightly painted houses, it's probably best to take your cue from the rest of the people on your road. That’s not to say you can’t paint your front door pink, just tone it down a few shades so it's subtle rather than shocking."
It’s equally good to take inspiration from the wider area that you live in. "Look to your surroundings," advises Rebecca. "For example, you’ll see more blue houses by the sea, while in the countryside there’s more brown and green.”
5. Don’t neglect other elements
Yes, you could paint the doorframe the same colour as the front door, but adding a contrasting colour can give the front of your house a designer feel.
As well as door frames, there are also exterior walls, window sills, and soffits, such as eaves or the undersides of balconies, to consider. Contrasting these with your door colour is an easy way to create maximum impact.
"Having the door and windows the same colour helps tie a scheme together, but equally having your front door in a different colour to your windows also works," says Rebecca.
She continues: "If you’re thinking of this, go for the bolder colour on the door. Another trick is making sure you choose a colour which will complement the building material used in your home."
A monochrome theme, where you paint the door, trim window frames, and exterior the same colour, is not only stylish but also a great visual trick, like how to use paint to make a room look bigger if your house is small it will appear to make it seem larger.
6. Bold can be better
Just as you would choose calming bedroom paint colours to help with a good night's sleep, when it comes to the best colours for a front door, think about those shades that will suit your personality, such as a bold or bright shade.
Using bright colours on a front door is a much smaller commitment than painting the entire house – and also easier to cover up a door you don’t like.
"Brights and pastel shades are becoming more common," says Joan Gair at Housetastic. "These provide your home with a unique look. When teamed with matching window frames, you can add some personality to your home."
When picking a bright shade, make sure you check how it will look outside. Colours look very different inside than they do in the bright glare of day. The best way to do this is to paint a swatch of colour directly on the door.
Unless you love to clash if you're going down the bold route keep the rest of the house front neutral to allow the door to shine. Don’t forget this also includes curtains or blinds.
7. Don’t forget the interior of the front door
While the rest of the world sees the outside of your front door, you will mostly see the inside of it. Don't think that you have to stick to the same shade front and back, instead consider your hallway paint colour.
"The colours on the exterior and interior sides of your front door don't need to be the same," says Rebecca. "Pick out a colour from your entrance hall décor so the inside ties in with the rest of the area."
Extending the colour from your walls to the door will also make a small hallway look a whole lot bigger – a great way to make a small room look bigger on a budget.
Rebecca says a contrasting colour can also be fun. "If there’s not a lot of colour going on in your entrance, why not have a bit of fun and paint the inside of the door in your favourite colour? Most people won’t notice it till they’re on the way out of your home, and it’s an unexpected pop of colour that’ll make you smile every day."
What is generally the most popular colour for a front door?
While for some black is a paint colour that can devalue a home when used inside, black front doors are still very much in vogue.
Daniel Copley, the consumer expert at Zoopla, says that while classic colours are here to stay, there is a rise in popularity with more earthy shades.
“Colors with earthy hues are popular for front doors at the moment allowing for an injection of colour without being too bright with shades of olive green, navy, and grey being favourites,” he says.
Jenny says that while she would love to see streets full of rainbow shades, in reality, darker colours will always be popular.
“Monochrome is here to stay, although I am seeing a lot more of bold greens being used internally at the moment, so I’m hoping this bravery will make its way to the nation’s front doors as well,” she says.
Ultimately though, the best colour for a front door is one that makes you happy, after all, following trends over your taste is one of the common interior design mistakes to avoid.
What colour front door has the most curb appeal?
“If you are considering adding a splash of colour, ensure it's in keeping with your property and surrounding neighbours,” advises Daniel. “First impressions can count for a lot when putting your home up for sale and whilst you may like something a little unusual, it can be marmite to potential buyers.”
However, it’s not just about choosing the best colour for a front door, but also making sure everything looks tidy, helping to make the exterior of a house look expensive. “Curb appeal is much more about making sure the frontage is smart and well maintained.”
“Make sure the paintwork is in good condition if you have a wooden door or ensure a plastic or composite door has been cleaned thoroughly,” he says.
“Be sure to polish any house name or numbers, letterboxes, and door knockers too, and sweep the entrance or porch if you have one.”
Jenny agrees that maintenance is more important than the actual shade when it comes to curb appeal. “Unless you’ve gone tester pot mad, the colour of your front door isn’t going to put off serious buyers – indeed it might just make your property stand out from the crowd,” she says.
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